Where White Africans Live (African Countries with Highest Populations)
Looking to find out where the white Africans are? We list out the African nations with the highest concentration of white people below.
The wealth of the African continent has drawn different groups of Europeans and even some Asians to its shores. Not many people know, but there are millions of white Africans.
Today, there is a small population of white Africans who the descendants of the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Italian, Spanish, French and even a few South Americans who originally settled on the continent.
African nations with highest populations of white Africans
These are the fifteen African nations with the highest number of white people.
#15 - Ghana - 20,900
Ghana was one of the main sources of slaves for the European plantations in the Caribbean. During the period of slavery, many Europeans came to Ghana. After slavery ended, the British gained control.
They ruled Ghana until the country received its independence in 1957. During this time, many Britons came to settle in the country. Ghana’s current white population of 20,900 are descendants of the British colonizers.
#14 - Equatorial Guinea - 2,000 (1.8%)
Spanish Equatoguinean? The white population of Equatorial Guinea is made of persons who are the descendants of the country’s Spanish colonizers. The Spanish came as temporary plantation owners.
Some returned to Spanish but there were those who stayed. The population of white population increased after Masie Nguema Biyogo was overthrown.
#13 - Mauritius - 37,000 (2%)
The island of Mauritius was first colonized by the Dutch, then it changed hands to France and lastly to the United Kingdom.
The white population, however, consists mostly of French descendants with a small number of British descendants.
The original French settlers were slave-owners. They came to Mauritius to benefit from the profit generated by sugar plantations.
#12 - Zimbabwe - 28,732
Zimbabwe, early Southern Rhodesia, was identified as an area for British settlement. Over the 19th and 20th century, many Europeans migrated into Zimbabwe.
They displaced the blacks and took control of the political and economic affairs of the early settlement. The Europeans, however, lost their power after the country gained its independence.
They then returned to their countries of origin. The white population of Zimbabwe consists of descendants of the few who remain.
#11 - Zambia - 40,000
Zambia like Zimbabwe was colonized by the British. During this period of colonization, many Europeans came to settle in Zambia. Unlike Zimbabwe, they were not able to exert much influence on the society as their population had been very small.
Today, the 40,000 Europeans are the descendants of the estimated 70,000 Britons who remained in the country after independence.
#10 - Swaziland - 41,000 (3%)
The Portuguese seemed to have gotten around much. The white population of Swaziland consists of descendants of Portuguese who originally settled in the country. Persons of British descent are also a part of the population as Swaziland was once a British protectorate.
#9 - Mozambique - 82,600 (2%)
Mozambique is a former colony of Portugal. The Portuguese first established settlements in the 16th century. The inhabitants of the country served as a source of labor for the Portuguese plantations in Latin America.
The population increased gradually over the century as more Portuguese nationals migrated from Portugal. The current white population are descendants of the original Portuguese settlers.
#8 - Botswana - 63,834 (3%)
The white population of Botswana constitutes 3% of the country’s population. Some of the Dutchmen that initially settled in South Africa went over into Botswana to escape from British imperialism.
Some Britons followed after them and as a result, the current white population is descendants of the Dutch farmers and Britons who came over.
#7 - Kenya - 67,000 (0.2%)
In the 1880s, Kenya came under the rule of the United Kingdom. At first a number of European settled in Kenya in hopes of creating fortunes. This, however, did not prevail for long.
In 1903, the British government encouraged Britons to settle in Kenya by offering land leases and tax exemptions. Kenya’s present white population consists of descendants of the white settlers who initially came to Kenya.
#6 - Morocco - 100,000 (0.3%)
The French and Spanish ruled Morocco from 1912 to 1956. During this time, thousands of French, Spanish, and European Christians came to settle in Morocco. After the country received their independence left. Today the 0.3% of white Moroccans are descendants of those who remained.
#5 - Tunisia - 100,000 (1%)
The white population of Tunisia is descendants of the Italians and French that initially settled in the country. Italians came to Tunisia at the beginning of the 19th century and have since set up communities.
France colonized Tunisia in 1881. French nationals immigrated to Tunisia and the Italians kept coming, together they make up Tunisia’s white population.
#4 - Madagascar - 120,000 (0.57%)
French, wanting a piece of the pie that was Africa, negotiated for parts of Madagascar until they gained control of the whole island. With this colonization came settlers. The current white population of Madagascar descends from these French settlers.
#3 - Namibia - 154,000 (8%)
In the quest to escape British rule, some Dutch farmers also made their way over into Namibia. Namibia later came under South Africa's rule and thousands of Dutch farmers found their way into Namibia.
They wanted to claim the fertile agricultural land and to get their share of the country’s natural resources. The 154,000 white Namibians (Basters) are descendants.
#2 - Angola - 220,000 (1.2%)
Angola is a former colony of Portugal. In 1492, the Portuguese came, they saw and they colonized. As a result of this, many Portuguese came to Angola and settled. Today they make up a significant portion of the white population. Russians, Poles, Ukrainians and white Brazilians also make up this population.
#1 - South Africa - 4,602,000 (8.7%)
At 4,602,000 South Africa has the highest population of white people in Africa. In 1652, the first Dutch ship landed on the shores of the Cape of Good Hope.
The Dutchmen aboard cleared the land for the cultivation and built settlements. French Huguenots later increased the white population. These early settlers are the ancestors of the Afrikaans that now make up 8.7% of South Africa’s population.
Final Say On White Africans
Now you have a better idea of the disperse of white people in Africa. Many people actually forget that millions of whites live and have lived for hundreds of years now on the African continent. Colonization era introduced them to the land, but the roots they set there continue to this day.
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